New report from ICD unveils encouraging Islamic finance prospects in AfricaThe new report was released during the Africa Islamic Finance Forum 2015 in Abidjan

JEDDAH, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 19 September 2015/ -- A newly-released report “Islamic Finance in Africa: A Promising Future” by the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) takes an in-depth look at the tremendous growth opportunities for Islamic finance to flourish in the region. The new report was released during the Africa Islamic Finance Forum 2015 in Abidjan.

The report is being published as the global banking community comes together to define a transformative new landscape to integrate Islamic finance into the mainstream. Once of interest only to a niche market of Muslim investors, Islamic finance is now venturing beyond its traditional sphere, and is slowly gaining widespread acceptance in Africa.

The birthplace of a quarter of the global Muslim population, the report highlights that Africa features a potentially strong demand for Islamic financial services and products. While still comparatively under-developed, Islamic finance is expanding in many parts of the region, and is now present across most of North Africa and in many countries of East and West Africa, particularly those with sizeable Muslim communities.

One of the recommendations of the report is that Islamic finance can act as the catalyst in mobilising funding into Africa, thereby resulting in economic growth and sustainable development. It is estimated that the region needed USD93.0bln per year to finance large-scale infrastructure and manufacturing projects, while external funding is also needed to offset ballooning fiscal deficits. Meanwhile, 2 billion adults remain unbanked globally, and currently, sub-Saharan Africa alone accounts for as much as 17.0% of the world’s unbanked adults. In addition, there is a significant funding potential opportunity for Islamic banks in view of the increasing emergence of small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) across Africa. In light of relatively low-income levels, a large informal sector and the prevalence of small businesses in Africa, Islamic microfinance is also a growth area worth looking into.

The report also highlights notable progress in the sukuk sector, where recent developments have seen governments focusing more on creating a more enabling environment for sukuk issuances. Some countries which have issued sukuk include Gambia, Sudan, Senegal and South Africa, while Ivory Coast is lining up to issue its debut sukuk at the end of the year. Moving forward, several countries such as Tunisia, Egypt and Morocco have expressed keen interest in tapping the sukuk market for infrastructure financing and have finalized or are in the midst of finalizing their legal frameworks to promote sukuk issuances. Although the Islamic financial services industry in Africa is currently dominated by the banking and sukuk segments, growth potential remains in the asset management and takaful spheres.

In its key recommendations, the report underlines that to capture the tremendous potential, the regional industry must overcome various challenges which are broadly similar with challenges faced in other parts of the world. These include challenges on the regulatory front such as regulatory inconsistency, the shortage of qualified human capital, the lack of awareness and financial literacy by many end-users and consumers, and a conducive business landscape which will support the growth of Islamic finance.

67. Unlike any other medium, the Internet enables individuals to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds instantaneously and inexpensively across national borders. By vastly expanding the capacity of individuals to enjoy their right to freedom of opinion and expression, which is an “enabler” of other human rights, the Internet boosts economic, social and political development, and contributes to the progress of humankind as a whole. In this regard, the Special Rapporteur encourages other Special Procedures mandate holders to engage on the issue of the Internet with respect to their particular mandates.

68. The Special Rapporteur emphasizes that there should be as little restriction as possible to the flow of information via the Internet, except in few, exceptional, and limited circumstances prescribed by international human rights law. He also stresses that the full guarantee of the right to freedom of expression must be the norm, and any limitation considered as an exception, and that this principle should never be reversed. Against this backdrop, the Special Rapporteur recommends the steps set out below.

A. Restriction of content on the Internet

69. The Special Rapporteur is cognizant of the fact that, like all technological inventions, the Internet can be misused to cause harm to others. As with offline content, when a restriction is imposed as an exceptional measure on online content, it must pass a three-part, cumulative test: (1) it must be provided by law, which is clear and accessible to everyone (principles of predictability and transparency); (2) it must pursue one of the purposes set out in article 19, paragraph 3, of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights , namely: (i) to protect the rights or reputations of others; (ii) to protect national security or public order, or public health or morals (principle of legitimacy); and (3) it must be proven as necessary and the least restrictive means required to achieve the purported aim (principles of necessity and proportionality). In addition, any legislation restricting the right to freedom of expression must be applied by a body which is independent of any political, commercial, or other unwarranted influences in a manner that is neither arbitrary nor discriminatory. There should also be adequate safeguards against abuse, including the possibility of challenge and remedy against its abusive application.

1. Arbitrary blocking or filtering of content on the Internet

70. The Special Rapporteur is deeply concerned by increasingly sophisticated
blocking or filtering mechanisms used by States for censorship. The lack of
transparency surrounding these measures also makes it difficult to ascertain whether
blocking or filtering is really necessary for the purported aims put forward by States.
As such, the Special Rapporteur calls upon States that currently block websites to
provide lists of blocked websites and full details regarding the necessity and
justification for blocking each individual website. An explanation should also be
provided on the affected websites as to why they have been blocked. Any
determination on what content should be blocked must be undertaken by a competent
judicial authority or a body which is independent of any political, commercial, or
other unwarranted influences.
71. With regard to child pornography, the Special Rapporteur notes that it is one
clear exception where blocking measures are justified, provided that the national law
is sufficiently precise and there are sufficient safeguards against abuse or misuse to
prevent any “mission creep”, including oversight and review by an independent and
impartial tribunal or regulatory body. However, the Special Rapporteur calls upon
States to focus their efforts on prosecuting those responsible for the production and
dissemination of child pornography, rather than on blocking measures alone.

2. Criminalization of legitimate expression
72.

The Special Rapporteur remains concerned that legitimate online expression is
being criminalized in contravention of States’ international human rights obligations,
whether it is through the application of existing criminal laws to online expression, or
through the creation of new laws specifically designed to criminalize expression on the
Internet. Such laws are often justified as being necessary to protect individuals’
reputation, national security or to counter terrorism. However, in practice, they are
frequently used to censor content that the Government and other powerful entities do
not like or agree with.

73. The Special Rapporteur reiterates the call to all States to decriminalize
defamation. Additionally, he underscores that protection of national security or
countering terrorism cannot be used to justify restricting the right to expression
unless it can be demonstrated that: (a) the expression is intended to incite imminent
violence; (b) it is likely to incite such violence; and (c) there is a direct and immediate
connection between the expression and the likelihood or occurrence of such violence.

3. Imposition of intermediary liability

74. Intermediaries play a fundamental role in enabling Internet users to enjoy their
right to freedom of expression and access to information. Given their unprecedented
influence over how and what is circulated on the Internet, States have increasingly
sought to exert control over them and to hold them legally liable for failing to prevent
access to content deemed to be illegal.

75. The Special Rapporteur emphasizes that censorship measures should never be
delegated to private entities, and that intermediaries should not be held liable for
refusing to take action that infringes individuals’ human rights. Any requests
submitted to intermediaries to prevent access to certain content, or to disclose private
information for strictly limited purposes such as administration of criminal justice,
should be done through an order issued by a court or a competent body which is
independent of any political, commercial or other unwarranted influences.

76. In addition, while States are the primary duty-bearers of human rights, the
Special Rapporteur underscores that corporations also have a responsibility to respect
human rights, which means that they should act with due diligence to avoid infringing
the rights of individuals. The Special Rapporteur thus recommends intermediaries to:
only implement restrictions to these rights after judicial intervention; be transparent
to the user involved about measures taken, and, where applicable, to the wider public;
provide, if possible, forewarning to users before the implementation of restrictive
measures; and minimize the impact of restrictions strictly to the content involved.
Finally, there must be effective remedies for affected users, including the possibility of
appeal through the procedures provided by the intermediary and by a competent
judicial authority.

77. The Special Rapporteur commends the work undertaken by organizations and
individuals to reveal the worldwide status of online impediments to the right to
freedom of expression. He encourages intermediaries in particular to disclose details
regarding content removal requests and accessibility of websites. Additionally, he
recommends corporations to establish clear and unambiguous terms of service in line
with international human rights norms and principles and to continuously review the
impact of their services and technologies on the right to freedom of expression of their
users, as well as on the potential pitfalls involved when they are misused. The Special
Rapporteur believes that such transparency will help promote greater accountability
and respect for human rights.

4. Disconnecting users from Internet access, including on the basis of intellectual
property rights law

78. While blocking and filtering measures deny users access to specific content on
the Internet, States have also taken measures to cut off access to the Internet entirely.
The Special Rapporteur considers cutting off users from Internet access, regardless of
the justification provided, including on the grounds of violating intellectual property
rights law, to be disproportionate and thus a violation of article 19, paragraph 3, of
the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

79. The Special Rapporteur calls upon all States to ensure that Internet access is
maintained at all times, including during times of political unrest. In particular, the
Special Rapporteur urges States to repeal or amend existing intellectual copyright
laws which permit users to be disconnected from Internet access, and to refrain from
adopting such laws.

5. Cyber-attacks

80. The Special Rapporteur is deeply concerned that websites of human rights
organizations, critical bloggers, and other individuals or organizations that
disseminate information that is embarrassing to the State or the powerful have
increasingly become targets of cyber-attacks.

81. When a cyber-attack can be attributed to the State, it clearly constitutes, inter
alia, a violation of its obligation to respect the right to freedom of opinion and
expression. Although determining the origin of cyber-attacks and the identity of the
perpetrator is often technically difficult, it should be noted that States have an
obligation to protect individuals against interference by third parties that undermines
the enjoyment of the right to freedom of opinion and expression. This positive
obligation to protect entails that States must take appropriate and effective measures
to investigate actions taken by third parties, hold the persons responsible to account,
and adopt measures to prevent such recurrence in the future.

6. Inadequate protection of the right to privacy and data protection

82. The Special Rapporteur is concerned that, while users can enjoy relative
anonymity on the Internet, States and private actors have access to technology to
monitor and collect information about individuals’ communications and activities on
the Internet. Such practices can constitute a violation of Internet users’ right to
privacy, and undermine people’s confidence and security on the Internet, thus
impeding the free flow of information and ideas online.

83. The Special Rapporteur underscores the obligation of States to adopt effective
privacy and data protection laws in accordance with article 17 of the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Human Rights Committee’s general
comment No. 16. This includes laws that clearly guarantee the right of all individuals
to ascertain in an intelligible form whether, and if so what, personal data is stored in
automatic data files, and for what purposes, and which public authorities or private
individuals or bodies control or may control their files.

84. He also calls upon States to ensure that individuals can express themselves
anonymously online and to refrain from adopting real-name registration systems.
Under certain exceptional situations where States may limit the right to privacy for
the purposes of administration of criminal justice or prevention of crime, the Special
Rapporteur underscores that such measures must be in compliance with the
international human rights framework, with adequate safeguards against abuse. This
includes ensuring that any measure to limit the right to privacy is taken on the basis of
a specific decision by a State authority expressly empowered by law to do so, and must
respect the principles of necessity and proportionality.
B. Access to the Internet and the necessary infrastructure

85. Given that the Internet has become an indispensable tool for realizing a range
of human rights, combating inequality, and accelerating development and human
progress, ensuring universal access to the Internet should be a priority for all States.
Each State should thus develop a concrete and effective policy, in consultation with
individuals from all sections of society, including the private sector and relevant
Government ministries, to make the Internet widely available, accessible and
affordable to all segments of population.

86. At the international level, the Special Rapporteur reiterates his call on States,
in particular developed States, to honour their commitment, expressed inter alia in the
Millennium Development Goals, to facilitate technology transfer to developing States,
and to integrate effective programmes to facilitate universal Internet access in their
development and assistance policies.

87. Where the infrastructure for Internet access is present, the Special Rapporteur
encourages States to support initiatives to ensure that online information can be
accessed in a meaningful way by all sectors of the population, including persons with
disabilities and persons belonging to linguistic minorities.

88. States should include Internet literacy skills in school curricula, and support
similar learning modules outside of schools. In addition to basic skills training,
modules should clarify the benefits of accessing information online, and of responsibly
contributing information. Training can also help individuals learn how to protect
themselves against harmful content, and explain the potential consequences of
revealing private information on the Internet.

The full report was accessed by wavuti.com on September 18, 2015 and can be downloaded/read at: ohchr.org (pdf)

IHI invites applications from interested, suitable and qualified Tanzanians to fill the following position.Senior System Administrator II

Location: Dar Es Salaam

Reports to: Head of IT

Deadline for applications: 30 September 2015SUMMARY

The senior system administrator is a the second level manager, responsible in managing the Information Technology (IT) environment and services (including responsibility for information security) within IHI under the direction of IT Manager.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

University Degree or equivalent in a Computer studies discipline (such as BSc Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electronics and Communication, Information Technology, Information Systems ) with GPA of at least 3.8

Minimum of 4 years relevant experience in the field of ICT, preferably with management responsibilities

CCNA and/or MCITP certification are mandatory

CISSP, CeH, CISA or any ICT security certification will be an added advantage

REMUNERATION

An attractive and competitive remuneration package will be offered to the right candidates based on IHI salary scales.

Dartmouth College invites applications for the Cesar Chavez/Charles A. Eastman/Thurgood Marshall Dissertation Fellowships from US citizens who plan careers in college or university teaching.

The goal of the Chavez/Eastman/Marshall fellowship program is to promote student and faculty diversity at Dartmouth, and throughout higher education, by supporting completion of the doctorate by underrepresented minority scholars (including African-American, Latina/o, and Native American scholars) and other graduate scholars with a demonstrated commitment and ability to advance educational diversity.

The Fellowships support graduate scholars for a 12 month residency at Dartmouth that generally runs from September through August. They offer an opportunity for scholars who plan a career in higher education and have completed all other Ph.D. requirements to finish their dissertations with access to the outstanding libraries, computing facilities and faculty of Dartmouth College. Fellows may be pursuing the Ph.D. degree in any discipline or area taught in the Dartmouth undergraduate Arts and Sciences curriculum. Each Fellow will be affiliated with a department or program at the College.

Three Fellowships will be awarded. Each Fellowship provides a stipend of $36,000, office space, library privileges, and a $2,500 research assistance fund. Fellows will be expected to complete the dissertation during the tenure of the Fellowship and may have the opportunity to participate in teaching, either as a primary instructor or as part of a team. While visiting Dartmouth, Fellows will enroll in thesis research as a graduate special (non-degree) student and will receive a full tuition scholarship towards the tuition billed to their student account.

Applicants will be selected on the basis of academic achievement and promise; membership in a racial or ethnic group that is currently underrepresented among faculty in the applicant's academic field or demonstrated commitment to increasing opportunities for underrepresented minorities and increasing cross-racial understanding; and potential for serving as an advocate and mentor for minority undergraduate and graduate students.

Consideration will be made for scholars who seek to share their research as presenters and lecturers in the Dartmouth community. Each Fellow will be expected to participate in selected departmental activities with undergraduate students (for example, presenting guest lectures in classes, serving in programs for minority students interested in academic careers, and interacting with undergraduate majors in host departments).

The Neukom Institute for Computational Science at Dartmouth College is pleased to announce the Neukom Fellows competition for positions starting September 1, 2016.

Neukom Fellows are interdisciplinary positions for recent Ph.D.s, DMAs, or MFAs whose research interests or practice cuts across traditional disciplinary boundaries, and has some computational component, whether it be a framing concept for intellectual exploration or an explicit component of the work that is pursued. The successful candidate should have a history of collaborative work across disciplines, but still show good evidence of independence and initiative. The Fellowships are two- to three-year appointments, with the third year extension considered upon request after a review early in the second year. Neukom Fellows will be mentored by faculty in two departments at Dartmouth College, take up residence in one department, and will teach one seminar course each year on a subject of their interest. Beyond that there are no additional duties. Neukom Fellow stipends are $60,000 for 2016-2017. Additional funds are available for equipment, travel, and research materials.
Requirements

1. Ph.D. in any discipline or DMA or MFA (or expected by September 2016).
2. Research interests that strongly intersect the theme of computation.
3. A proven ability to work independently and collaboratively
4. A demonstrated interest in multidisciplinary research.
5. Evidence of the ability to think outside traditional paradigms.
Application Materials

Interested candidates are strongly encouraged to contact prospective mentors at Dartmouth College and must submit the following materials:

1. Curriculum vitae (including publications list).
2. Statement of research interests (max. 2 pages) including a short description of the research you would like to pursue and why.
3. Description of which departments (and even better, which Dartmouth faculty) you would be interested in working with and why the opportunity to engage with multiple departments would enhance your work. Applicants are strongly encouraged to seek out connections with and contact potential Dartmouth mentors as they draft their applications.
4. Three referees whose letters of recommendation speak to the aims of the Fellowship. 5) (Optional) A copy of one paper you have written in English (or some comparable kind of creative work), either published or unpublished.

Completed applications received by November 15, 2015 will receive first consideration. Materials received after that date or those that do not fulfill the above requirements stand the chance of not being considered. General inquiries should be directed to the Neukom Institute Manager, Victoria Smith ([email protected]).

Dartmouth is an equal opportunity/ affirmative action employer with a strong commitment to diversity. In that spirit, we are particularly interested in receiving applications from a broad spectrum of people, including women, persons of color, persons with disabilities, veterans or any other legally protected group.